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Why Michael Tubbs Lost the Stockton Mayoral Election and What He Plans to Do Next Dec 21, 2020

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During his tenure as mayor of Stockton, Michael Tubbs drew national attention for championing a guaranteed income policy and launching a pilot program to test it out. But he lost his bid for a second term this year, amid criticism that he failed to fix the city's persistent problems with poverty and homelessness. Tubbs says says a four-year misinformation campaign contributed to his defeat. We'll talk to Tubbs about what's next and what he's learned.

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Chef Marcus Samuelsson Dishes on the Black Food and Chefs You Should Know Dec 21, 2020

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In his new book, “The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food,” acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson highlights Black chefs and recipes that he says have been underrated and overlooked for far too long. When Americans think of Black cuisine, they think soul food, he said, but that is only one of numerous traditions. Samuelsson, a regular on Food Network and PBS, operates over a dozen restaurants in the United States and abroad. We’ll discuss the book, Black cooking and hear his thoughts on the dire state of the restaurant industry amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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National Political Round-Up: Stimulus Talks and Historic Cabinet Picks Dec 18, 2020

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Congressional leaders and the White House on Thursday appeared to inch closer to finalizing a $900 billion coronavirus relief package, but several sticking points remain. Among them: Republicans want to restrict the power of the Federal Reserve to bail out businesses while Democrats are demanding more help for states. We’ll hear the latest on the negotiations. We’ll also get an update on President-elect Joe Biden’s latest cabinet appointments including his historic pick of Native American Rep. Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary.

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Skiing in a Surge: Tahoe's Economy Reels During Pandemic Dec 18, 2020

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The Lake Tahoe region has been changed by the pandemic. With many people fleeing cities and moving to the mountains or into their second homes, schools and grocery stores are crowded. Many mountain resorts are requiring reservations for lift tickets as a public health precaution. Will there be room for holiday skiers? Even some business owners are saying visitors should wait until the surge is over to make plans to head to Tahoe and, under the stay-at-home order, hotels are supposed to cancel reservations for leisure travel. We'll talk about the precautions on the mountain, the boom in backcountry skiing, Tahoe's red-hot housing market and what it all means for the region.

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California's Filipino American Nurses Bear Disproportionate COVID-19 Risks Dec 18, 2020

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Filipino Americans make up about four percent of the nation's nursing workforce but account for more than 30 percent of its COVID-related deaths, according to data compiled by National Nurses United. In California, as in other states, Filipino American nurses are more likely to work in ICUs and bedside settings, which in part explains the staggering disparity. But other factors are at work too, including a legacy of discrimination against migrant nurses. We'll talk about the outsized toll the pandemic is taking on the state's Filipino American nurses and what we can do to address it.

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Animator Frank E. Abney III Explores Life After Loss in Short Film 'Canvas' Dec 18, 2020

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Animator Frank E. Abney III, who worked on blockbuster films including Pixar's "Coco" and "Toy Story 4," makes his directorial debut with the new animated short film "Canvas" on Netflix. A meditation on grief, love and family, "Canvas" tells the story of a grandfather struggling to feel inspired after experiencing the death of a loved one. Abney, a Bay Area native now based in Los Angeles, was influenced by losses in his own life when writing the film, including losing his father when he was five years old. Abney joins us to talk about the film and his career.

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A Naturalist's Guide to What’s Blooming, Mating, and Migrating in the Wild Corners of the Bay Area Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

Many of us have taken to the hills this past year, hiking and walking to cope with the pandemic. Others have gone to the birds, observing birds and wildlife outside our windows for the first time. There's more to see: elephant seals courting, gray whales migrating, a rainbow of mushrooms and flights of sand hill cranes. We'll talk with naturalist Michael Ellis of Footloose Forays about where to go and what to look for while staying close to home. Call in with your questions about animal behavior and species in your local parks or your backyard.

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Why Singer Selena’s Star Still Shines Bright 25 Years After Her Death Dec 17, 2020

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Twenty-five years after her death, Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez enjoys rare staying power among generations of fans who love her music, fashion and performances. A new hit Netflix series about her rise to stardom builds on that legacy. Selena grew up singing Tejano music with her family band, Selena y Los Dinos, and was a platinum-selling artist when she was murdered in 1995 at the age of 23. Today, Selena’s level of fame, influence and commercial success is still rare for other American-born Latinas in music and entertainment to achieve. We discuss why Selena remains so relevant and her evolving role as a Mexican-American icon.

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Pandemic Brings Immense Challenges, and Some Silver Linings, for Bay Area Arts Organizations Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a $500 million grants program for nonprofits, small businesses and cultural institutions in an attempt to alleviate COVID-19’s impact on California’s arts industry. Still, the pandemic’s toll on the state’s large and small arts institutions has been devastating, as venues and theaters have closed, ticket revenue has vanished and funding sources have become scarcer. But a number of organizations are finding new and creative ways to survive. We’ll talk with the leaders of some Bay Area arts organizations about the pandemic’s impacts, how they’ve adapted and what’s ahead.

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Writer E. Alex Jung on the Internet Culture of Quarantine Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

When shelter-in-place began in March, we watched as TV hosts filmed shows from home, unstyled and in casual clothes, and later followed the NBA into its bubble. And we turned to the internet even more for connection and entertainment, spurring a unique “Quarantine Culture” according E. Alex Jung, senior writer at New York Magazine. It’s a culture where, as Jung wrote, "the internet became more internet — an ever-thickening soup of private derangements and niche dramas." Whether it was comedian Sarah Cooper lip-synching Trump’s speeches for the app TikTok, building a virtual world in games like “Animal Crossing” or enjoying the otherwise unlikely opportunity to see your favorite artists perform a show from home — “we were all extremely online,” Jung said. We talk with Jung about the year in “Quarantine Culture” and the forms of entertainment we enjoyed — or made ourselves — on the internet.

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